A LOCAL property developer has urged the planning authorities to consider blurring the boundaries of the rural and urban areas of the island. George Wilkinson, a director of Southfields Property Company, believes that since the original divide was drawn up more than a decade ago, developments on either side of it have changed the character of nearby land. He called for a periodic review of the planning boundaries.

But Damon Hackley, forward planning officer for the Environment Department, said that the current split was clear, logical and performing well.

Any reassessment would have to be on a comprehensive and not an ad hoc basis.

‘The boundary position should be subject to periodic review as developments may make it appropriate to realign the divide,’ Mr Wilkinson told yesterday’s Rural Area Plan planning inquiry.

He said that when the consultants produced the original land-use boundaries, they provided a detailed division of the island.

But the Island Development Committee and the States had drawn up the area plans slightly differently from the consultants, showing that the divide was arbitrary.

‘It is a subjective matter, but at the moment the procedures do not allow for a judicious review of the boundary, which appears locked in. But various factors influence the determination of the boundary and developments near it mean the character of the land nearby changes.’

Mr Hackley said that the current Rural and Urban Area Plans had been endorsed by the States, at which time the split had not been considered incorrect or in need of review.

He added that the land zoning also tried to follow main roads so that to the east, urban development was allowed and to the west, land was classed as rural.

‘Our view is that there is a clear and logical division and that the urban and rural splits should remain as adopted.

‘I would not totally rule out a review if it became necessary to do so, but at the moment both are performing well.’

Mr Wilkinson said he was not being site-specific and that it was an application based on principle. But, he added, he was thinking that some rural areas to the west of the split were now worthy of urban zoning.

Planning inspector Peter Robottom said that he had received other similar representations, but the difficulty was that he was evaluating only Rural Area Plan site proposals.

‘I do accept the points that you are making and will consider how best to address them in the report.’